"Damascus Knife Set Santoku II"
Hiroshi Kato - a true master of Japanese knives
He is the second master blacksmith and knife maker in the family. He learned the fine art of forging knives of exceptionally high quality from his father, Kintaro Kato. Traditionally, this was the usual way in which the skills and \"secrets\" of the masters were passed on. Traditions played an important role for Hiroschi Kato, but he is also a person of change. As a co-initiator, together with other master blacksmiths, he founded the knife village Takefu with the aim of preserving the old knowledge, exchanging experiences and passing them on to young blacksmiths. One of the boys was Yoshimi Kato, son and successor of Hiroshi, who is now also one of the masters. Hirosho Kato, today, after almost 60 years of work, mostly rests the blacksmith's hammer and is mainly responsible for quality, further development and training. in 2008, Hiroshi Kato became the second knifemaker to receive the Certificate of Traditional Craftsmen, a high distinction for excellence in craftsmanship.
Yoshimi Kato Kurosome Knife Series
Material: Yoshimi Kato builds the Damascus series of chef's knives from VG-10 steel. VG-10 is a Japanese high-performance steel, which is particularly characterized by high hardness, very good flexibility and its corrosion resistance. The wear resistance and the resistance of the sharpness of this cooking fair are excellent, the steel is easy to sharpen. The HRC value, measure of the hardness of the steel, is 61. VG-10 is a stainless steel and, unlike carbon steels Aogami or Shirogami, contains about 15% chromium. The sheath is made of nickel damask in 30 layers. The package is cold forged by hand by Master Yoshimi Kato. Finish: Visually, the blade is naturally dominated by the Damascus plies. For additional protection with rust-inhibiting effect, the Kurosome knives are burnished, which emphasizes the noble appearance. Handle: The handle of these knives is made of high quality Rosewood, which has nothing to do with the wood of rose bushes. Rosewood is very hard and extremely durable Rosewood. The handles of the series are classically round in design, as is common with traditional Japanese chef's knives, which require feel rather than strength.
How to use
Japanese chef's knives are made of extremely hard steels and are forged and ground thinner than their European counterparts. Some of these knives have very finely ground cutting layers, making them more delicate and suitable only for soft cut foods. Please refer to the product details for information in this regard. In particular, knives with a very thin cutting edge and hollow grind are prone to chipping on the blade. These are excellent for fine cuts of soft cut material, but should be used with appropriate care. Sharpening on a whetstone usually produces an angled grind, which makes the edge more stable over time.
Breakouts on the cutting edge can also be caused by leverage forces as well as frozen cuttings, which significantly reduce the temperature of the steel. Leverage forces often occur when cutting material with bones, for example. Chipping on the cutting edge may need to be ground out by a professional.
The knife should always be guided straight with pulling or pushing cut, without much pressure. To maintain sharpness, avoid cutting on stone, glass or other hard surfaces. Never use \"sharpening steel\" for resharpening. Water sharpening stones are recommended (grit: 400-1200 for preliminary sharpening, 3000 for fine sharpening, 6000 or more to strip the blade) and a honing leather if necessary.
Please keep the knife away from children. These knives are extremely sharp, please be careful.
All products are unique, slight deviations from the exemplary picture are therefore possible.
Care instructions
When using knives made of delicate types of steel, such as Aogami, Shirogami or V-Toku, please clean them occasionally with a cloth and water even during prolonged use. However, acidic foods can still cause discoloration on these classic carbon steels. After use, please wash by hand with hot water and use a neutral dishwashing detergent if necessary. Please do not put the knife in the dishwasher under any circumstances. After cleaning, dry thoroughly, oil if necessary, and store in a well-ventilated area. Residual moisture can cause rust in non-stainless steels. See our posts on the ORYOKI Japan blog for product care.
Clean the knife by hand and do not use a dishwasher. Dry it thoroughly afterwards.
